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SYDNEY/JAKARTA (Reuters) -Indonesia dismissed on Tuesday a report in defence publication Janes that Russia has requested basing military aircraft in Papua, its easternmost province, after the issue caused concern in Australia.
"The report is incorrect," said Frega Wenas, the spokesperson of Indonesia's defence ministry.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles spoke to his Indonesian counterpart Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin who said there would be no Russian air force planes based in Indonesia.
"He (Sjamsoeddin) has said to me in the clearest possible terms, reports of the prospect of Russian aircraft operating from Indonesia are simply not true", Marles said.
Papua is about 1,200 km (750 miles) north of the Australian city of Darwin, where a U.S. Marines Corp rotational force is based for six months of the year, and Australian air bases are being upgraded to host visiting U.S. bombers.
Earlier, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government has asked Indonesia about the Janes report, as the issue dominated Australia's election campaign on Tuesday.
"We obviously do not want to see Russian influence in our region," Albanese told reporters.
Janes reported that Jakarta has received an official request from Moscow, seeking permission for Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) aircraft to be based at a facility in Indonesia's easternmost province of Papua.
Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov met Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta on Tuesday, the president's office said in a statement.
Australia is "seeking further clarification" with Indonesia about the report, Albanese said, adding Canberra has a good relationship with Jakarta.
Indonesian foreign ministry spokesperson Roy Soemirat said the ministry has not heard of the report.
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said "Indonesia is critical for Australian security" and the two countries had struck a defence cooperation agreement last year, she said at a news conference on Tuesday.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton said during a campaign stop the report was concerning and he is seeking a briefing from the Australian government on the issue.
(Reporting by Kirsty Needham and Christine Chen in Sydney, Stanley Widianto and Ananda Teresia in Jakarta; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
